Friday, 16 December 2011

METAL THEFT

“My object all sublimeI shall achieve in time —To let the punishment fit the crime —The punishment fit the crime”

Over the last year or so many local churches, under and over ground trains, graveyards, cemeteries, war memorials, street and road signs, lightning conductors and many buildings have been targeted by unscrupulous metal thieves. In one local church enormous damage has been done not only to the roof but, by letting water in, to the very fine organ which will be very expensive to restore. And this church has been targeted several times and for a time members of the congregation slept in the church to deter the thieves.

Little seems to be done to apprehend the criminals who, up and down the country, commit this despicable act but perhaps even more important, what about the reprehensible scrap metal dealers who are happy to buy the metal “no questions asked”. If there were no scrap metal dealers prepared to accept stolen metal there wouldn’t be a problem.

But what punishment can be imposed on those who are guilty that might fit the crime and the misery it causes? One might have thought that War Memorials would be sacrosanct. What sort of penalty or punishment would fit the stealing of the brass plates commemorating those who gave their lives in two world wars? Or what would fit those totally heartless scoundrels who desecrated the local cemetery taking the brass markers from graves and cremation plots or those who are accessories in this crime by receiving the stolen plagues.

Perhaps the guilty should be made to compensate the bereaved, to pay for the restoration of the organ and so on but the problem is they will probably never be caught and if they were how could they make any payment as most of the thieves don’t work. Presumably the dealers could do so out of their ill-gotten profits. It seems to me that regrettably this is a low priority crime.

Since writing the above I have learned that lead has been stolen from the roof at St Barnabas, Woodford Green. So, let the punishment indeed fit the crime:

"Something lingering, with boiling oil in it, I fancy. Something of that sort. I think boiling oil occurs in it, but I'm not sure. I know it's something humorous, but lingering, with either boiling oil or melted lead......".

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About Me

I am a priest retired from full time ministry helping out where needed and based as Hon. Assistant Curate at Rush Green. I am Honorary Chaplain of the Ilford Hospital Chapel of St. Mary & St. Thomas of Canterbury.I am married to Ann and we have two married children and 4 grandchildren. I was Curate at Holy Nativity and St. Martin's, Knowle, Vicar of Cressing, and then Vicar of St. Francis, Barkingside until retirement. I am Chair of the Governors at the New Rush Hall Group of Schools